Solar cell with delta doping layer

ABSTRACT

A solar cell including a base region, a back surface field layer and a delta doping layer positioned between the base region and the back surface field layer.

PRIORITY

This application is a divisional of, and claims priority from, U.S. Ser.No. 13/407,924 filed on Feb. 29, 2012, the entire contents of which areincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

This application relates to solar cells and, more particularly, to solarcells with a delta doping layer and, even more particularly, to solarcells with a delta doping layer in the back surface field region.

BACKGROUND

Solar cells convert the sun's energy into useful electrical energy byway of the photovoltaic effect. Modern multijunction solar cells operateat efficiencies significantly higher than traditional, silicon solarcells, with the added advantage of being lightweight. Therefore, solarcells provide a reliable, lightweight and sustainable source ofelectrical energy suitable for a variety of terrestrial and spaceapplications.

A solar cell typically includes a semiconductor material having acertain energy bandgap. Photons in sunlight having energy greater thanthe bandgap of the semiconductor material are absorbed by thesemiconductor material, thereby freeing electrons within thesemiconductor material. The freed electrons diffuse through thesemiconductor material and flow through a circuit as an electriccurrent.

Electron-hole recombination at the rear surface of a solar cell resultsin a loss of efficiency. Therefore, solar cells are typically providedwith a back surface field layer positioned proximate the rear surface ofthe solar cell. The back surface field layer serves as a barrier tominority carrier flow toward the rear surface (i.e., toward the tunneljunction or the rear electrode). Therefore, the back surface field layergenerally prevents the minority carrier from recombining at the backinterface or surface, or escaping out of the base, of the solar cell,thereby passivating the base back interface or surface and acting as aminority carrier barrier of the solar cell. Unfortunately, it isbecoming increasingly difficult to find higher bandgap material to useas the back surface field layer, particularly for high bandgap solarcells, such as AlGaInP solar cells.

Accordingly, those skilled in the art continue with research anddevelopment efforts in the field of solar cells.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, the disclosed solar cell may include a base region, aback surface field layer and a delta doping layer positioned between thebase region and the back surface field layer.

In another embodiment, the disclosed solar cell may include a baseregion having a front end and a rear end, and a delta doping layerpositioned proximate the rear end of the base region.

In yet another embodiment, disclosed is a method for forming a solarcell. The method may include the steps of (1) providing a substrate; (2)growing a back surface field layer on the substrate; (3) delta dopingthe back surface field layer to form a delta doping layer; and (4)growing an additional layer over the delta doping layer.

Other embodiments of the disclosed solar cell with delta doping layerand method for forming the same will become apparent from the followingdetailed description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of one embodiment of thedisclosed solar cell with delta doping layer;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the steps that may be used to form thedisclosed solar cell with delta doping layer;

FIG. 3 is a graphical illustration of illuminated current-voltage(“LIV”) comparing the disclosed solar cell (with a delta doping layer)and a solar cell without a delta doping layer in the back surface fieldregion;

FIG. 4 is a graphical illustration of open-circuit voltage of thedisclosed solar cell (with a delta doping layer) and, for comparison, asolar cell without a delta doping layer in the back surface fieldregion;

FIG. 5A is a schematic bandgap diagram of a solar cell having a deltadoping layer alone as the back surface field region; and

FIG. 5B is a schematic bandgap diagram of a solar cell having a deltadoping layer as part of the back surface field region.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of the disclosed solar cell withdelta doping layer, generally designated 10, may include a cell 12positioned between an upper structure 14 and a lower structure 16. Thecell 12 may include a window 18, an emitter region 20, an intrinsic ordepletion region 22, a base region 24 and a back surface field (“BSF”)region 26.

The upper structure 14 may be any structure positioned over the cell 12.Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the specific compositionof the upper structure 14 will depend on the specific construction ofthe solar cell 10.

In one construction, the solar cell 10 may be a multijunction solar celland the cell 12 may be the upper subcell of the multijunction solarcell. Alternatively, the cell 12 may be the only cell of the solar cell10. Therefore, the upper structure 14 may include, for example, ananti-reflective coating layer, a cap layer (e.g., a GaAs cap) and anelectrical contact layer (e.g., a metal grid).

In another construction, the solar cell 10 may be a multijunction solarcell and the upper structure 14 may be another subcell of themultijunction solar. Those skilled in the art will appreciate thatadjacent subcells may be separated by a tunnel junction.

The lower structure 16 may be any structure positioned below the cell12. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the specificcomposition of the lower structure 16 will depend on the specificconstruction of the solar cell 10.

In one construction, the solar cell 10 may be a multijunction solar celland the cell 12 may be the lower subcell of the multijunction solarcell. Alternatively, the cell 12 may be the only cell of the solar cell10. Therefore, the lower structure 16 may include, for example, a bufferlayer and a substrate (e.g., a germanium substrate).

In another construction, the solar cell 10 may be a multijunction solarcell and the lower structure 16 may be another subcell of themultijunction solar. Cell 12 may be separated from the underlying cellby a tunnel junction.

The back surface field region 26 may include a first back surface fieldlayer 28, a delta doping layer 30 and a second back surface field layer32. Therefore, the delta doping layer 30 may be positioned between thefirst back surface field layer 28 and the second back surface fieldlayer 32.

Alternatively, the back surface field region 26 may include the firstback surface field layer 28 and the delta doping layer 30 (i.e., nosecond back surface field layer). Therefore, the the delta doping layer30 may be positioned at the interface between the base region 24 and thefirst back surface field layer 28.

The delta doping layer 30 may be comprised of any element that behavesas a dopant with respect to the first and second back surface fieldlayers 28, 32. Therefore, the composition of the delta doping layer 30may depend on the composition of the first and second back surface fieldlayers 28, 32.

As one general and non-limiting example, the cell 12 may be formed asfollows: the window 18 may be AlInP₂, the emitter region 20 may beGaInP₂, the intrinsic region 22 may be GaInP₂, the base region 24 may beGaInP₂, and the first and second back surface field layers 28, 32 may beAlGaAs. Therefore, since the first and second back surface field layers28, 32 are formed from Group 13 and 15 elements, the delta doping layer30 may be formed from an element (or elements) other than the elementsin Groups 13 and 15.

As one specific and non-limiting example, the first and second backsurface field layers 28, 32 of the cell 12 may be formed from AlGaAs andthe delta doping layer 30 may be formed from a Group 14 element, such ascarbon, silicon or germanium.

As another specific and non-limiting example, the first and second backsurface field layers 28, 32 of the cell 12 may be formed from AlGaAs andthe delta doping layer 30 may be formed from carbon.

The layer thickness of the delta doping layer 30 may depend on variousfactors, including the type of delta dopant used and the back surfacefield material (e.g., the material of the first back surface field layer28) upon which the delta doping layer 30 is applied. Those skilled inthe art will appreciate that the limitations of delta doping may limitthe overall layer thickness of the delta doping layer 30 that may beachieved.

In one expression, the delta doping layer 30 may have an average layerthickness ranging from about 1 nanometer to about 100 nanometers. Inanother expression, the delta doping layer 30 may have an average layerthickness ranging from about 5 nanometers to about 50 nanometers. Inanother expression, the delta doping layer 30 may have an average layerthickness ranging from about 5 nanometers to about 25 nanometers. Inanother expression, the delta doping layer 30 may have an average layerthickness ranging from about 5 nanometers to about 15 nanometers. In yetanother expression, the delta doping layer 30 may have an average layerthickness of about 10 nanometers.

Thus, the delta dopant may be confined to a very thin layer in the backsurface field region 26.

The bulk concentration of delta dopant in the delta doping layer 30 mayalso depend on various factors, including the type of delta dopant usedand the material of the substrate (e.g., the material of the first backsurface field layer 28) upon which the delta doping layer 30 is applied.

In one expression, the bulk concentration of delta dopant in the deltadoping layer 30 may be at least about 1×10¹⁸ atoms per cm³. In anotherexpression, the bulk concentration of delta dopant in the delta dopinglayer 30 may be at least about 1×10¹⁹ atoms per cm³. In anotherexpression, the bulk concentration of delta dopant in the delta dopinglayer 30 may be at least about 1×10²⁰ atoms per cm³. In anotherexpression, the bulk concentration of delta dopant in the delta dopinglayer 30 may be at least about 1×10²¹ atoms per cm³. In yet anotherexpression, the bulk concentration of delta dopant in the delta dopinglayer 30 may range from about 1×10¹⁸ atoms per cm³ to about 1×10²² atomsper cm³.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart that depicts the steps of one particular aspectof the disclosed method, generally designated 100, for forming thedisclosed solar cell with delta doping layer. Other methods for forminga delta doping layer proximate the rear of a solar cell are alsocontemplated.

The method 100 may begin at block 102 with the step of providing asuitable substrate. The substrate may be any substrate upon which a backsurface field layer may be grown. One non-limiting example of a suitablesubstrate is germanium.

At block 104, a first back surface field layer may be grown on thesubstrate. The step of growing the first back surface field layer (step104) may continue until the desired cross-sectional thickness of thefirst back surface field layer has been achieved.

The first back surface field layer may be grown by epitaxy, such asmolecular beam epitaxy, metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy or chemicalvapor-phase epitaxy. The epitaxy precursors may be selected to yield thedesired material of the first back surface field layer.

Optionally, prior to the step (block 104) of growing the first backsurface field layer, a buffer may be applied to the substrate such thatthe buffer is positioned between the first back surface field layer andthe substrate. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a buffermay be selected to minimize or eliminate the effects of lattice mismatchbetween the first back surface field layer and the substrate.

At block 106, epitaxy may be halted and delta doping may begin. Duringthe delta doping step (block 106), the desired delta dopant may beintroduced to form a delta doping layer on the first back surface fieldlayer. The delta doping step (block 106) may be performed until apredetermined minimum bulk concentration of the delta dopant in thedelta doping layer has been achieved.

At block 108, delta doping may be halted and growth of the second backsurface field layer may begin. The second back surface field layer maybe grown by epitaxy until the desired cross-sectional thickness of thesecond back surface field layer has been achieved.

With the back surface field layers and the delta doping layer formed,the method 100 may continue with the step of growing additional layersof the solar cell, such as the base region, the intrinsic region, theemitter region and the window 18, as shown at block 110.

Thus, two solar cells were assembled using the method 100: one with adelta doping layer in the back surface field region and one without adelta doping layer. Both solar cells were generally identical other thaneither the presence or absence of the delta doping layer. As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, the solar cell with a delta doping layer exhibits higheropen circuit voltage (“Voc”) and a better fill factor.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic band diagrams of two solar cells withdelta doping as part the back surface field region. FIG. 5A is the banddiagram of a solar cell in which the delta doping layer is the only backsurface field layer. FIG. 5B is the band diagram of a solar cell inwhich the delta doping layer is in addition to the higher bandgap backsurface field layer. In FIG. 5A, the delta doping layer introduces aband energy spike, and this energy spike blocks the minority carrierfrom escaping away from the p-n junction. In FIG. 5B, the delta dopinglayer-induced energy spike reinforces the back surface field function ofblocking the minority carrier.

When the delta doping layer is positioned at the interface of the baseregion and the back surface field layer, the delta doping layer maypassivate better at the interface and, therefore, may reduce theinterface recombination, which may also improve the back surface fieldfunction.

Furthermore, by positioning the delta doping layer in the back surfacefield region, the highly p-type delta doping layer may be very wellconfined in a narrow material thickness range such that p-dopantback-diffusion into the base region is of little or no concern. Thoseskilled in the art will appreciate that diffusion of dopant into thebase region can hurt cell performance by shortening the minority carrierdiffusion length.

Accordingly, solar cell efficiency may be improved by using a deltadoping layer in the back surface field region of the solar cell. Withoutbeing limited to any particular theory, it is believed that using adelta doping layer in the back surface field region may render the backsurface field region more efficient at blocking the minority carrier inthe solar cell base and may passivate better at the interface betweenthe base region and the back surface field region. It is furtherbelieved that using a delta doping layer in the back surface fieldregion may be particularly useful for high bandgap solar cells in whichit is hard to find a higher bandgap material to use as the back surfacefield.

In another, alternative embodiment, the disclosed delta doping layer maybe incorporated into the base region, rather than the back surface fieldregion, of the solar cell. The base region may include a front end and arear end. The delta doping layer may be incorporated into the baseregion proximate (i.e., at or near) the rear end of the base region.

Although various embodiments of the disclosed solar cell with deltadoping layer have been shown and described, modifications may occur tothose skilled in the art upon reading the specification. The presentapplication includes such modifications and is limited only by the scopeof the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for forming a solar cell comprising thesteps of: growing a back surface field layer on a substrate; deltadoping said back surface field layer to form a delta doping layer; andgrowing an additional layer over said delta doping layer.
 2. The methodof claim 1 wherein said step of growing said back surface field layercomprise growing by epitaxy.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein saidepitaxy comprises at least one of molecular beam epitaxy, metalorganicvapor-phase epitaxy and chemical vapor-phase epitaxy.
 4. The method ofclaim 1 wherein said back surface field layer comprises AlGaAs orAlGaInP.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein said delta doping layercomprises at least one of carbon, silicon, germanium, tin and lead. 6.The method of claim 1 wherein said delta doping layer has an averagelayer thickness of at least 1 nanometer.
 7. The method of claim 1wherein said delta doping layer has an average layer thickness ragingfrom about 5 nanometers to about 15 nanometers.
 8. The method of claim 1wherein said delta doping layer comprises dopant at a concentration ofat least 1×10¹⁸ atoms per cm³.
 9. The method of claim 1 wherein saiddelta doping layer comprises dopant at a concentration of at least1×10¹⁹ atoms per cm³.
 10. The method of claim 1 wherein said deltadoping layer comprises dopant at a concentration of at least 1×10²⁰atoms per cm³.
 11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step ofapplying a buffer to said substrate prior to said step of growing saidback surface field layer.
 12. The method of claim 1 wherein saidadditional layer is a second back surface field layer.
 13. The method ofclaim 12 wherein said second back surface field layer is grown in directcontact with said delta doping layer.
 14. The method of claim 1 whereinsaid additional layer is a base region.
 15. The method of claim 1wherein said step of growing said additional layer comprise growing byepitaxy.
 16. The method of claim 1 further comprising growing a window,an emitter region and an intrinsic region.
 17. A method for forming asolar cell comprising the steps of: growing a back surface field layeron a substrate, said back surface field layer comprising AlGaAs orAlGaInP; delta doping said back surface field layer to form a deltadoping layer, said delta doping layer comprising a dopant selected fromthe group consisting of carbon, silicon, germanium, tin, lead andcombinations thereof, wherein said delta doping layer comprises anaverage layer thickness ranging from about 5 nanometers to about 15nanometers, wherein said delta doping layer comprises said dopant at aconcentration of at least 1×10¹⁹ atoms per cm³; growing a base regionover said delta doping layer, said base region comprising an activejunction, a first side and a second side opposed from said first side,wherein said first side of said base region directly contacts said deltadoping layer; growing an intrinsic region in direct contact with saidsecond side of said base region; and growing an emitter region over saidintrinsic region such that said intrinsic region is positioned betweensaid base region and said emitter region.
 18. The method of claim 17further comprising the step of positioning a window over said emitterregion such that said emitter region is positioned between saidintrinsic region and said window.
 19. A method for forming a solar cellcomprising the steps of growing a first back surface field layer on asubstrate, said first back surface field layer comprising AlGaAs orAlGaInP; delta doping said first back surface field layer to form adelta doping layer, said delta doping layer comprising a dopant selectedfrom the group consisting of carbon, silicon, germanium, tin, lead andcombinations thereof, wherein said delta doping layer comprises anaverage layer thickness ranging from about 5 nanometers to about 15nanometers, wherein said delta doping layer comprises said dopant at aconcentration of at least 1×10¹⁹ atoms per cm³; growing a second backsurface field layer over said delta doping layer such that said deltadoping layer is positioned between and directly contacting said firstback surface field layer and said second back surface field layer, saidsecond back surface field layer comprising AlGaAs or AlGaInP; growing abase region over said second back surface field layer, said base regioncomprising an active junction, a first side and a second side opposedfrom said first side, wherein said first side of said base regiondirectly contacts said second back surface field layer; growing anintrinsic region in direct contact with said second side of said baseregion; and growing an emitter region over said intrinsic region suchthat said intrinsic region is positioned between said base region andsaid emitter region.
 20. The method of claim 19 further comprising thestep of positioning a window over said emitter region such that saidemitter region is positioned between said intrinsic region and saidwindow.